That '90s Show

'That '90s Show' attempts to recapture That '70s Show's winning mix of dry humor, parody, and slapstick, and mostly succeeds.

But what really solidifies That ’90s Show as good television is its cast of newcomers, who quickly earn their spots on that legendary—and, by now, moth-eaten—basement couch. It’s tough not to share in Red’s fleeting pleasure as he enjoys a new massage chair, or revel in his petty rivalry with Bob Pinciotti (Don Stark) as they both try to out-grandpa each other on Leia’s 15th birthday. A sitcom is often only as endearing as its characters, and That ’70s Show was driven almost entirely by the ensemble play between Eric, Jackie, Kelso, Hyde, Donna, and Fez.

Eric (Topher Grace) and Donna (Laura Prepon) take their daughter to visit Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) and Red (Kurtwood Smith) in the series premiere of this ...

But That ’70s Show follows the characters for three years and change, and they’re somewhere around 20 at the end of the series, not the beginning. The point is that this might be less of an issue had That ’70s Show run for a nice, reasonable five seasons instead of getting the vintage Fox treatment, which back in the ’90s and 2000s dictated that promising new shows be canceled swiftly and mercilessly, while any hits run for as close to a decade as possible even if their cast members lost interest. • That said, one of the best moments comes from the revival of the circle-cam format that was the original series’ signature. But That ’90s Show mostly wants to provide a comfort watch, extending a nostalgia chain that now reaches back over half a century: It throws back to the ’90s airings of a ’70s-set show that felt like a sorta-modern, sorta-not take on a ’70s-aired show about the ’50s. During the trip, she meets Gwen (Ashley Aufderheide), a cool riot-grrrl type who lives in Donna’s old house next door, and Leia decides — in a flush of excitement that feels like half-friend-crush and half-crush-crush — that she wants to stick around for the whole summer. Leia is in Point Place for a memorable summer (it’s a little surprising that no one makes a reference to that Saved By the Bell Malibu Sands season). Gwen follows in Donna’s “cool girl next door” footsteps, while the sardonic Ozzie (Reyn Doi) has an outsider status reminiscent of that of Fez (Wilmer Valderrama), not so much because he’s Asian American but because he’s gay — openly to his friends and more cautiously to less perceptive adults. That ’90s Show is the sequel series to That ’70s Show, a sitcom that does admittedly feel like a good candidate for a quarter-century-later revival. Real-life couple Kutcher and Kunis play their walk-on in the pilot as Kelso and Jackie on their way to their second remarriage. The original series began during the twilight of the sitcom gods, premiering a few months after Seinfeld left the air and limping along a couple of years past the end of Friends. The show’s “youth culture MTV meets ABC” sensibility allowed That ’70s Show to exist largely out of time despite its title. Yes, the creators may admit, remakes and reboots and long-gap sequels are often by turns shameless, dispiriting, or otherwise not quite right — especially when they’re competing with a hundred or two episodes that have looped for ages in syndication.

Reboots of old shows are all the rage right now. Whether it's a revival with the same cast members returning or a spinoff set in the same universe as a previous ...

As for this first season, the whole experience is probably more of an appetizer for viewers to go back and rewatch That ‘70s Show all over again. The show also tries to juggle ‘90s pop culture references with ‘70s decor around the Forman residence, and this attention to detail should erase any distractions that may have occurred otherwise for fans who get obsessed with time pieces on television. There’s also an effort to mirror some of the traits of the original characters in the new cast members, but this results in a mixed bag of mediocre joke setups and punchlines. The protagonist of That ‘90s Show is likable enough. The glue that holds this spinoff together is the husband-wife team of over 40 years that we mentioned at the beginning. For these reasons, the vibrant and unique acting skills that were displayed on That ‘70s Show make it nearly impossible to replicate in a rebooted format with new actors. He constantly encourages Kitty to pursue her dreams in their senior years, topped off by nudging her back into the workforce as a nurse. With multiple decades separating their appearance in the two shows, the writers have keenly evolved these parents into more modern versions of themselves. The latest in a long line of these modern takes on classics is That ‘90s Show. Grace was the antagonist, Venom, in Spider-Man 3, and Kutcher replaced Charlie Sheen on Two and a Half Men. Like a lot of these reboots that have occurred on streaming services, such as [Fuller House](https://www.denofgeek.com/full-house/), finding a balance between new and old characters is a very arduous task. This is a dangerous trend for those who want a little more creativity on our screens, but it’s also comforting to see characters and actors from our childhoods, especially in a time with so much economic and health turmoil following COVID-19.

Leia attempts to impress her (very high) friends by renting a cool movie from the video store, but Leo (Tommy Chong, reprising his 'That '70s Show' role) ...

It’s moves like these that make “Free Leia” feel less like a summer repeat of the pilot and more like the show is already serving up leftovers. Also as a ruthless peruser of onscreen video-store shelves, I can report that the titles lining the Point Place store are quite accurate to the era, erring on the side of slightly old (new releases that were actually circulating in late 1994) rather than too new. Anders is fine, gamely playing up a native Wisconsin accent, but there’s not much story to this B-story: Sherri introduces herself to Red and Kitty, reveals she’s dating a guy she’s trying to dump, and then reveals to us that the guy is … Gwen follows, Leia confesses her imposter syndrome, Gwen reassures her that she likes her and the others will follow — and that the inventors of a game called StickStick don’t have much of a leg to stand on, coolness-wise. This is what brings to mind She-Hulk: little comic escalation, no real payoff, and the general sense that the people making the show are reconstructing a sitcom episode from memory rather than inspiration. Between the dry, dry Raisin Bran that Leia has served as a snack and the lack of a promised cool movie, she freaks out and bolts.

That '90s Show, which follows Eric and Donna's daughter as she spends the summer of 1995 in Wisconsin, is nostalgic but too bland to stick.

Because of this, the show is mostly coasting on nostalgia, failing to create anything that feels rooted in time, place, and character. The gang finds weed, they smoke in the basement, they share kisses and failed romances, and they deal with the idea of the summer ending and what that means for their friendship. That '70s Show may not have been interested in historical accuracy, but it did use its time period to craft a mood, to create a lived-in world that was then used to build comedy and drama. When Leia quickly makes friends with some kids in the neighborhood, she decides she wants to stay for the summer, kicking off a season of teenage rebellion, romance, and self discovery. Some of that synchronicity is engaging, as we watch Leia forge a path similar to Eric's, finding a healthy bit of rebellion that she didn't know she had inside of her. Sure, That '90s Show is an easy watch, another harmless sitcom added to Netflix's library. That '90s Show is, interestingly enough, a perfect encapsulation of both the good and the bad that comes with the current revival craze. Unfortunately, being easy to watch isn't the same as being captivating or interesting. The first episode is really the only time when these characters feel like more than caricatures, because we know Eric, Donna, Kitty, and Red, and the show uses our knowledge to create new character dynamics while crafting good jokes based on their shared history. [That '90s Show](https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/that-90s-show/1001099351/) was never going to have an easy road to success. [Topher Grace](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/topher-grace/3000396944/) and [Laura Prepon](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/laura-prepon/3000000029/)) visit Kitty and Red ( [Debra Jo Rupp](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/debra-jo-rupp/3030227955/) and [Kurtwood Smith](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kurtwood-smith/3000054376/), the only returning regulars) with their teenage daughter, Leia ( [Callie Haverda](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/callie-hope-haverda/3000942235/)), in tow. [Terms of Use](https://redventures.com/legal/cmg-terms-of-use.html) and acknowledge the data practices in our [Privacy Policy](https://redventures.com/legal/privacy-policy).

Laura Prepon, Debra Jo Rupp and Topher Grace in "That '90s Show." Netflix. CNN —. The fact ...

That might be because instead of charting a new path, the show essentially uses those characters as cutouts to simply recreate aspects of the original series, including the swerving camera and smoke-filled basement epiphanies. [“Full House”](https://www.cnn.com/2016/02/25/entertainment/fuller-house-tv-show-thr-feat/index.html) and “Gilmore Girls” while rebooting [“One Day at a Time.”](https://www.cnn.com/2017/01/06/entertainment/one-day-at-a-time-netflix-reboot/index.html) [ “Night Court”](https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/17/entertainment/night-court-review/index.html) turning this into a two-sitcom-revival week, an obvious means of seeking to knife through the programming clutter. Yet while there’s smoke here, there’s not much heat, as an uninspired next-generation crowd offsets encores by most of the original cast, leaving (Danny Masterson, whose recent rape trial [ended in a mistrial](https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/30/entertainment/danny-masterson-mistrial/index.html), is notably absent.)

A review of the new sitcom That '90s Show, now playing on Netflix.

Nikki is the sister of the often-eye-rolling Ozzie ( [Reyn Doi](/cast-and-crew/reyn-doi)), who is looking to come out as gay to Kitty and others. I was most struck by an end credit for [James Iha](/cast-and-crew/james-iha), guitarist of the Smashing Pumpkins—he provides the music for the series, which might include the guitar/drum bursts that the series uses to cap off a scene. [Ashley Aufderheide](/cast-and-crew/ashley-aufderheide)) is siblings with puppy dog jock Nate (Maxwell Acee Donovan), who is attached at the lips to the academically focused Nikki (Sam Morelos). Instead of being shuttled off to Space Camp for the summer, she convinces her parents to let her stay with her grandparents Red and Kitty and to make friends with their neighbors who are Leia’s age. They’re also the biggest stars of the returning cast this time, with plenty of time for Kitty’s whimsical flights of fancy and overexcitement or how the Archie Bunker-esque Red finds a new way to threaten to put his foot up someone’s ass. [Topher Grace](/cast-and-crew/topher-grace), [Laura Prepon](/cast-and-crew/laura-prepon), [Wilmer Valderrama](/cast-and-crew/wilmer-valderrama), [Ashton Kutcher](/cast-and-crew/ashton-kutcher), and [Mila Kunis](/cast-and-crew/mila-kunis).

Leia has never been kissed, so Gwen suggests she go to the mall to make out with someone — maybe Jay? Sherri needs Red to break up with Fez (Wilmer ...

Mostly, this story line produces relief that it’s over, and looks unlikely to continue the extended-pilot vibes into the next episode. Too much of a softie to participate in Fez’s heartbreak, Kitty subcontracts out of her job and asks Red, who has spent much of the episode feeling uncharacteristically zen because of a Sharper Image massage chair, to let Fez down not so easy. “I don’t want to be some meaningless hookup,” he tells her, affirming her specialness and giving her a self-esteem boost in the process. Volunteering to help, Kitty makes an appointment at Fez’s salon; he’s remade himself in the image of a sexy stylist that seems equally inspired by Wilmer Valderrama’s dating history and You Don’t Mess With the Zohan. Callie Haverda has put some nicely awkward spins on her lines; in “Lip Smackers,” it’s funny to hear her accidentally confess her inexperience in the area of kissing by referring to tongues caressing uvulas (“The u-spot,” she adds). Gwen proposes an immediate solution: Head to the mall and “knock this out.” Cue the montage of Leia trying and failing to mack on the male population of the food court, intimidating an ice-cream scooper and accidentally hitting on a tall 9-year-old (“Hey, sexy, you eating grapes?”).

That '70s Show's cast has reunited, in a new spin-off series titled That '90s Show. However, amongst all one major character would be missing - Danny ...

The new series was first announced in October 2021. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). According to Deadline and the ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein. The reprise or reunion was a long due as the original series premiered during the summer of 1995. The actor was put on trial the following year after entering a not guilty plea to each of the three accusations in January 2021.

The actor will not reprise his role as Steven Hyde after being charged in 2020 with forcibly raping three women in separate incidents between 2001 and 2003.

I am also so thankful to the fans that have supported me and continue to do so." Yesterday was his last day of work, and we'll make new episodes in 2018 without him," the streamer wrote on Twitter at the time. "You know, I hesitate to say that I never saw any of that behavior because I feel like it sounds like I'm defending him, but the truth is I never saw any of that stuff," he said at the time. Despite being a main character on That '70s Show, the absence of Masterson's character Steven Hyde isn't addressed on the new show. Michael Kelso and Jackie Burkhart appear towards the end of the season one premiere, as audiences learn that Leia's new friend Jay (Mace Coronel) is the son of Kelso, who married his on-and-off-again high school girlfriend Jackie. In the premiere episode, Eric Formam and Donna Pinciotti returned to the home in Point Place, Wisconsin, where Eric grew up.

Even though Masterson's Steven Hyde was a main character on That '70s Show, the character isn't addressed on the show. There's no mention of the character at ...

In the years since viewers last saw Eric ( [Topher Grace](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/topher-grace/)) and Donna ( [Laura Prepon](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/laura-prepon/)), he’s become an adjunct professor at a Chicago-based university and she’s a published author. I am also so thankful to the fans that have supported me and continue to do so.” As for the allegations against Masterson, a statement shared by his representatives to People states: In the meantime, I want to express my gratitude to the cast and crew that I’ve worked so closely with over the past three seasons. Even though Masterson’s Steven Hyde was a main character on That ’70s Show, the character isn’t addressed on the show. The actor and former star was accused of rape which allegedly took place between 2001 and 2003 amid That ’70s Show run.

Posted Jan. 19, 2023, 4:01 p.m.. That '90s Show is now streaming on Netflix. In the age of reboots, revivals, and sequels ...

Netflix’s That ‘90s Show is a blast from the past of the ‘90s and of memories from That ‘70s Show. With funny moments filled with nostalgia, That ‘90s Show is charming and has a lot of potential. But that is putting too much weight on the older cast members when the show should focus on the kids of the present day – or in this case, the kids of the ‘90s. Fans of That ‘70s Show can expect many inside gags and Easter eggs, with the pilot episode especially completely stuffed with references. Leia is endearing as the wallflower – basically the girl version of her father as a teen. Set 15 years after the end of That ‘70s Show, That ‘90s Show finds Eric Foreman (Topher Grace) and Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon) living happily married in Chicago and parents to a young, awkward teenager named Leia (Callie Haverda).

Callie Haverda, Mace Coronel, Reyn Doi, Maxwell Donovan, Sam Morelos, & Ashley Aufderheide discuss their new basement reign. That-90s-show-Cast- ...

No, [in] that episode I had a lot of scenes in front of the audience, and it was really fun. Looking back, my favorite episode to watch is Episode 8, because it has a lot of really sweet moments because it was our last week filming, and the circle scene in that episode was the last scene that we filmed. I think their plan was to do it every season in the summer. I think it was actually the last one that we filmed, and also… Have you asked the creators, "If we get a Season 2, is it just going to jump ahead another year to the next summer?" I feel like for me, my favorite episode to actually film was probably Episode 6, just because that has a ton of interesting stuff in it. I love learning about the behind-the-scenes [and] the making of the show. I was freaking out because I thought my makeup was going to get ruined, and (makeup artist) Elie [Maalouf] put so much effort into it, but it was fine. I'm assuming maybe you guys do, as well, and I'm curious, which of you is the one who texts way too much? It was, I think, all of our first experience. Exchanging the polyester and feathered hair for grunge and overalls, That '90s Show will introduce fans to a new generation of friends. Can I be a fan?

That '90s Show review: Disappointingly stale and never as silly as it needs to be, Netflix's sitcom spinoff is a relic of a bygone era.

The period-specific references aren’t particularly clever either — everything from Alanis Morisette to Kevin Smith and OshKosh B’gosh is mentioned within minutes — and the writing feels like a pale imitation of the Golden Age of American sitcoms. One doesn’t look for nuanced character-work in a sitcom like this, but That ‘90s Show is such a relic sometimes that it might as well have been made three decades ago and thawed out of cold storage for our amusement. That ‘90s Show doesn’t commit to either scenario, choosing instead to tread the path of least resistance. This is where most of the show unfolds (through a cloud of smoke and teen hormones). This allows creators Bonnie and Terry Turner to involve perhaps the most unsung member of the original cast: the basement. Emily in Paris has often been cited as peak ambient TV, but even that required a basic level of interest on the viewer’s part.

Episode 2 of That '90s Show starts with Leia debating about smoking weed with her friends. Ozzie is out of the picture and does not want anything to do with ...

Leia claims that she feels like an outsider and wants to feel more like one with the group which is why she did not have them watch her favourite dorky movie. Leia decides to show her friends her favourite movie and her friends start getting emotional as the movie comes to an end. The chaotic conversation ends with Leia and Kitty convincing him to give the movie to them. Kitty and Leia meet the man renting the movie and it turns out to be Leo, Eric’s older friend who has gotten even older now. Leia takes the guy’s address and convinces her grandmother to go see the man in order to get the movie DVD from him. Since the is a single mother who moved in with her two kids in Donna’s old house, she introduces herself to Kitty and Red.

Episode 3 of That '90s Show starts at the Forman House dinner table where Kitty asks Sherri about her breakup with 'the guy' not knowing that the guy is ...

Leia is much more confident about herself and goes on to kiss the ice cream stall guy without his consent. Red claims that Fez is weird and needed to think before taking responsibility for a woman who has two teenage kids. That evening, Leia and Jay are sitting outside when she tries to get him to kiss her. Leia and Ozzie spot Gwen making out with a guy named Kevin and Leia is further upset about her failure. In the basement, Nate and Nikki are making out in the presence of Leia and the others. Episode 3 of That ’90s Show starts at the Forman House dinner table where Kitty asks Sherri about her breakup with ‘the guy’ not knowing that the guy is Fez.